Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

The quality of a top 50% student at TJ is higher than the top 20% of a regular non-test-in student in public school in a suburb of VA/MD. So some schools that really know TJ, will go "deeper" in the class to make offers, rather than a lesser school.

Probably true 10-20 years ago, but colleges these days don’t care about the real quality. They’ve all gone crazy about “diversity “.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

The quality of a top 50% student at TJ is higher than the top 20% of a regular non-test-in student in public school in a suburb of VA/MD. So some schools that really know TJ, will go "deeper" in the class to make offers, rather than a lesser school.

Maybe UVA and VT will but the Ivies aren't going too. That is the reality of this situation.

What percentage of TJ accepted to T20 schools? 40%?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

The quality of a top 50% student at TJ is higher than the top 20% of a regular non-test-in student in public school in a suburb of VA/MD. So some schools that really know TJ, will go "deeper" in the class to make offers, rather than a lesser school.

Maybe UVA and VT will but the Ivies aren't going too. That is the reality of this situation.

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

The quality of a top 50% student at TJ is higher than the top 20% of a regular non-test-in student in public school in a suburb of VA/MD. So some schools that really know TJ, will go "deeper" in the class to make offers, rather than a lesser school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

100% sorry OP ivies are not in reach! VT will be borderline. UVA moreso.

Oh come on, it’s just one data point. ECs are more important once your gpa meets the threshold.

This GPA from TJ does not meet threshold from the naviance data—it would be an outlier meaning needs a big hook. It is around average. TJ does not get the top half of their students into UVA!

What is TJ's threshold from naviance? 4.37 GPA is astromically high elsewhere. Ivies take 4.0 gpa kids all the time. How is it not meeting threshold?

You’re compared against your peers in your school, not others, so only matters what considered “high” at your school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

100% sorry OP ivies are not in reach! VT will be borderline. UVA moreso.

Oh come on, it’s just one data point. ECs are more important once your gpa meets the threshold.

This GPA from TJ does not meet threshold from the naviance data—it would be an outlier meaning needs a big hook. It is around average. TJ does not get the top half of their students into UVA!

What is TJ's threshold from naviance? 4.37 GPA is astromically high elsewhere. Ivies take 4.0 gpa kids all the time. How is it not meeting threshold?

Go to Boulder Co for Physics. Its one of the top in the country for that subject but overall the acceptance rate is less insane

Anonymous wrote:I can't offer a real opinion having no knowledge of higher ed admissions standards but jeez, I can't believe this would hurt him. I would think these AP physics classes are only offered in a tiny number of HS across the country and within that, only a select few students take them. Coming from a non DMV are but well regarded local school, you kid would be a rockstar! I hope he is proud of his academics, that is amazing.

Except he’s coming from TJ, and applicants are always compared to their school peers. And even if those scores made him a rockstar elsewhere, that still wouldn’t help much for an Ivy. Ivies have more applicants with unweighted 4.0s, 1600/36, 15 APs with 5s, and national awards in the ECs than they have seats to take them all. Truly rockstar applicants are still a crapshoot at Ivies, and realistically OP’s kid is an even longer shot.

It’s not impossible - 3% is still a chance - so go ahead and apply if you want, but be realistic.

Anonymous wrote:"Better to keep silent and be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt"

An A in AP Physics at TJ speaks for itself. They'll assume you had a bad test day and got a four and are insecure because everyone else got 5s.

Its an A- though not an A. TJ and many schools are a good deal more inflated than those who are not there realize. For many classes at TJ, well over half get A- and A. In other words A- is average. Of course an average TJ student can easily handle UVA and VT and a non-stem kid with those physics numbers could easily handle an ivy in non-stem. Admissions is not about which kids can handle it is which kids stand out at their high school. The data OP provided indicates he is average not a standout. Ivies are out without a big hook

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

100% sorry OP ivies are not in reach! VT will be borderline. UVA moreso.

Oh come on, it’s just one data point. ECs are more important once your gpa meets the threshold.

This GPA from TJ does not meet threshold from the naviance data—it would be an outlier meaning needs a big hook. It is around average. TJ does not get the top half of their students into UVA!

Anonymous wrote:I can't offer a real opinion having no knowledge of higher ed admissions standards but jeez, I can't believe this would hurt him. I would think these AP physics classes are only offered in a tiny number of HS across the country and within that, only a select few students take them. Coming from a non DMV are but well regarded local school, you kid would be a rockstar! I hope he is proud of his academics, that is amazing.

TJ makes it tough. We are DMV where most good publics and privates offer AP physics C, AP chem, AP Bio. The top students even humanities-chasers are strongly encouraged to take at least two of the three to be competitive. Schools internally report 85-95% getting 4s and 5s on these and most AP tests.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

100% sorry OP ivies are not in reach! VT will be borderline. UVA moreso.

Oh come on, it’s just one data point. ECs are more important once your gpa meets the threshold.

Anonymous wrote:Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

100% sorry OP ivies are not in reach! VT will be borderline. UVA moreso.

I can't offer a real opinion having no knowledge of higher ed admissions standards but jeez, I can't believe this would hurt him. I would think these AP physics classes are only offered in a tiny number of HS across the country and within that, only a select few students take them. Coming from a non DMV are but well regarded local school, you kid would be a rockstar! I hope he is proud of his academics, that is amazing.

"Better to keep silent and be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt"

An A in AP Physics at TJ speaks for itself. They'll assume you had a bad test day and got a four and are insecure because everyone else got 5s.